DENTON, Texas – North Texas found itself down 14 points with 16 minutes to play versus a salty Portland team on Saturday night, and in need of a playmaker. Enter T.J. Taylor.

The junior, who was only able to play a combined 10 minutes in the year’s opening four games due to a series of injuries, was able to rally the Mean Green to force overtime, where he exploded for a combined 12 points in the two extra sessions. He and the Mean Green clawed out a 77-72 win over the West Coast Conference foe.

It was the second straight 20-plus point game for Taylor, who is now shooting 61.5 percent from the floor and 75.0 percent from 3-point after a breakout weekend in Portland, Ore.

“I told everyone,” said North Texas head coach Tony Benford. “There’s a reason the line of schools recruiting T.J. was around the block. He’s a special player that could have gone anywhere in the country. We just have to get him healthy, and because he’s a game-changing player.”

While Taylor is far from fully recovered, he and the Mean Green will take on an undefeated Incarnate Word squad on Tuesday night at the Super Pit.

Denzel Livingston (19.2 PPG), Kyle Hittle (16.4 PPG) and Sam Burmeister (13.6 PPG) have been electric from 3-point for Incarnate Word, a team that ranks 10th in the country with 52 makes from downtown, and 13th with a team 3-point percentage of 46.0. The trio has combined to hit 46-of-96 (47.9 percent) from 3-point, and each of those three players has hit at least 14 3-pointers. The Cardinals broke an 18-year old school record for 3-pointers in a game with 17 against Northwood on Nov. 19.